


Couchside Manners

by infectedscrew



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Angst, Pining, Rejection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 02:03:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6780901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infectedscrew/pseuds/infectedscrew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick gets called into help. Only, when it comes to Tim, it always ends up being more than he planned for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Couchside Manners

Now was not the time to be thinking about how good Tim’s shoulders look. Nor was it a good time to imagine slamming them to the floor and biting into that solid muscle. Even if the temptation was unbelievably strong, now was just not the right moment. After all, Tim was in the middle of a crisis and had gone out of his way to invite Dick to his apartment.

In his memory, Dick had only ever been to Tim’s apartment three times. Once when he helped the younger man move in, which was just more of dropping a box on his door step and leaving. The second time when Tim had gotten himself seriously injured but had refused to come to the Bat Cave for help. Dick had to slip through his bed room window to grab him. That visit had ended with more than on bruise on his part. And the third time was, well, now.

Dick gave himself a solid shake and refocused on the young man next to him. He hoped the expression of concern hadn’t slipped from his face while he day dreamed.

“Timmy,” he sighed, reaching across the couch to rest a hand on Tim’s shoulder. It wasn’t until his fingers curled over taught muscle, that Dick realized Tim was shivering. He could guess it wasn’t from cold. “I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

Since his arrival, very little words had passed between them. In fact, the longest conversation so far had been ‘what do you want to drink?’ which ended with him getting a root beer. Despite their lack of exchange, Dick was content to just be there. Tim rarely, if ever, called on him for help, that meant that this, whatever it was had to be important.

“He said no,” Tim mumbled, cutting into his thoughts.

Dick blinked. He tilted his head and stared at Tim. “What was that?”

Tim shifted, the movement seeming like the most painful in the world. He settled with his feet on the floor, staring at the television. With his head turned away, Dick could see how soft Tim’s jaw was. And he had to seriously remind himself that now was not the time.

“He said no,” Tim repeated. His face was as flat as his voice and nothing sparked behind bright blue eyes.

“Who did?” Dick asked, frowning.

There was a moment of silence before Tim turned his head to look at him. “Conner,” he stated, almost looking offended that Dick didn’t know.

Dick swallowed. He was missing something and something big. But then, he really couldn’t be blamed. Tim was almost as bad as Bruce when it came to emotions. It was impossible to know what he was thinking or feeling. Still, he had sounded close to tears when he had called for Dick earlier. Which meant, he had to suck it up and be as comforting as possible.

“What did he say no to?” He asked, giving his warmest most comforting expression.

For the first time Tim’s face shook. Under Dick’s fingers the shivering got worse, it was almost visible now. Tim bit his lower lip, a strange sound choking off in his throat.

“Tim?” He asked, leaning forward, his hands tightening on Tim’s shoulders.

It took a long moment or two before Tim’s shudders subsided. Dick could feel the front of his t-shirt sticking to his chest, but he could ignore it if it meant that he could hold onto Tim a little longer. However, Tim had never been one for touching, as soon as he felt ready he pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, scooting all the way to the other side of the couch.

Never in his entire relationship with Tim had Dick ever understood Tim’s need to apologize for emotions. The younger man was too wound up to be healthy and choking off important feelings wasn’t making his life any easier. Clearly, if he thought that a brief cry fest into Dick’s shirt was something to apologize for.

Dick leaned over to rest a hand on Tim’s thigh. He didn’t pull back even when Tim tried to twitch away. “Don’t apologize, Tim,” he urged, making sure he had Tim’s gaze locked with his own. “You’re just fine.”

Tim bit at his lower lip, looking very much like he wanted to disagree. “Then why..?”

“Because he’s stupid,” Dick snapped, anger seeping into his voice. He ignored Tim’s slight flinch. He was annoyed. How could Tim pick the clone? And how could that stupid clone reject Tim? It was just… He settled himself. “Tim… Little bird… You’re perfect. You’re amazing, intelligent, attractive and all the things any lucky man would want in his life.”

Tim blinked at him and Dick could see gears turning in that constantly working mind. The younger man was silent for what felt like hours. Finally, the corner of his mouth twitched. “Dick… You sound like a bad romance movie.”

Dick snorted. “If it’ll make you smile then I’ll be a straight up B-Movie comedy.”

Despite himself, Tim huffed a tiny laugh.

“There ya go!” Dick beamed. He moved his hand from Tim’s thigh to his stomach. He rubbed at the t-shirt, tickling the flesh. “Come on! Show me some more!” He added his other hand to the tickling.

Tim let out a yelp. “Dick! Don’t!” He gasped, trying to shove Dick’s hands away. Only, Dick didn’t give up that easily. He only pushed, trapping Tim against the arm rest of the couch and giving his best tickle maneuver.

“Dick!” Tim shrieked, choking back his laughter.

“Tim,” Dick replied easily, smiling in a sly sort of way.

In less time than Dick expected, Tim was writhing with laughter. The sound echoed through the apartment, cheerful and loud. He had given up trying to push Dick’s hands away and had opted with the age-old wriggle until he could get away tactic. It wasn’t working any better.

“See!” Dick was laughing, pleased to see Tim’s face so free for once. “Laughing isn’t so bad.” He stilled his hand and pulled back.

Tim sucked in deep breathes. His hair was a mess and his clothes were moved every which way but he looked happier than he had in a long time. “No, I suppose not,” he admitted. His expression sobered slightly. “Dick… Do you really think that I’m… You know, all those things you said?”

Dick paused, his eyes widening. Slowly, with a gentle smile on his face, he leaned over to rest his forehead on Tim’s. “Little bird, you’re all those things and more. I promise,” he whispered before pressing his lips to the tip of Tim’s nose.  
“He said no to… To…” Tim stopped clearly trying to pull himself back together but failing. “I told him I… That I…” He halted again, eyes going wide a silent plea for Dick to understand.

Dick did understand. “Oh. Oh!” Instead of sympathy, Dick felt a wave of anger and jealousy. Why would that clone ever hold Tim’s interest? Obviously, he had something much better sitting right here and now on the couch. “Timmy…” He breathed.

Tim gave another strange sound. “He said no. Is… Is there something wrong with me?” He almost wailed, his hands twitching on his thighs. “Am I wrong? Someone that can’t be loved?”

“Oh Tim! No, you’re not!” Dick tugged Tim into his chest and held him there. “God no! You’re the farthest thing from it. You’re amazing,” he soothed, stroking Tim’s hair. He could feel Tim clutch the front of his shirt and the wetness had to be tears.

“Then why?” Tim sobbed. “Am I not good enough for him?”

Dick’s arms tightened. “No, Tim. You’re perfect. He’s just a fool,” he all but growled into Tim’s hair.

It took a long moment or two before Tim’s shudders subsided. Dick could feel the front of his t-shirt sticking to his chest, but he could ignore it if it meant that he could hold onto Tim a little longer. However, Tim had never been one for touching, as soon as he felt ready he pulled away.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, scooting all the way to the other side of the couch.

Never in his entire relationship with Tim had Dick ever understood Tim’s need to apologize for emotions. The younger man was too wound up to be healthy and choking off important feelings wasn’t making his life any easier. Clearly, if he thought that a brief cry fest into Dick’s shirt was something to apologize for.

Dick leaned over to rest a hand on Tim’s thigh. He didn’t pull back even when Tim tried to twitch away. “Don’t apologize, Tim,” he urged, making sure he had Tim’s gaze locked with his own. “You’re just fine.”

Tim bit at his lower lip, looking very much like he wanted to disagree. “Then why..?”

“Because he’s stupid,” Dick snapped, anger seeping into his voice. He ignored Tim’s slight flinch. He was annoyed. How could Tim pick the clone? And how could that stupid clone reject Tim? It was just… He settled himself. “Tim… Little bird… You’re perfect. You’re amazing, intelligent, attractive and all the things any lucky man would want in his life.”

Tim blinked at him and Dick could see gears turning in that constantly working mind. The younger man was silent for what felt like hours. Finally, the corner of his mouth twitched. “Dick… You sound like a bad romance movie.”

Dick snorted. “If it’ll make you smile then I’ll be a straight up B-Movie comedy.”

Despite himself, Tim huffed a tiny laugh.

“There ya go!” Dick beamed. He moved his hand from Tim’s thigh to his stomach. He rubbed at the t-shirt, tickling the flesh. “Come on! Show me some more!” He added his other hand to the tickling.

Tim let out a yelp. “Dick! Don’t!” He gasped, trying to shove Dick’s hands away. Only, Dick didn’t give up that easily. He only pushed, trapping Tim against the arm rest of the couch and giving his best tickle maneuver.

“Dick!” Tim shrieked, choking back his laughter.

“Tim,” Dick replied easily, smiling in a sly sort of way.

In less time than Dick expected, Tim was writhing with laughter. The sound echoed through the apartment, cheerful and loud. He had given up trying to push Dick’s hands away and had opted with the age-old wriggle until he could get away tactic. It wasn’t working any better.

“See!” Dick was laughing, pleased to see Tim’s face so free for once. “Laughing isn’t so bad.” He stilled his hand and pulled back.

Tim sucked in deep breathes. His hair was a mess and his clothes were moved every which way but he looked happier than he had in a long time. “No, I suppose not,” he admitted. His expression sobered slightly. “Dick… Do you really think that I’m… You know, all those things you said?”

Dick paused, his eyes widening. Slowly, with a gentle smile on his face, he leaned over to rest his forehead on Tim’s. “Little bird, you’re all those things and more. I promise,” he whispered before pressing his lips to the tip of Tim’s nose.


End file.
